Key Points
Outgoing US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before Congress on March 3rd and 4th. Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, and Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, stated that Noem may have committed perjury and made false statements during her testimony. On Monday, Durbin and Raskin called on Attorney General Pam Bundy to initiate an investigation into the matter.
On Wednesday, March 4th, 2026, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified at a hearing titled "Department of Homeland Security Oversight," held by the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building. Democratic leaders of the judiciary committees in both houses of Congress have called on Attorney General Pam Bundy to investigate whether the outgoing Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, committed perjury during her congressional testimony. Senator Dick Durbin, the Democratic chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Representative Jamie Raskin, the Democratic ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, submitted a request for an investigation to Bundy on Monday. They alleged that Noem may have violated laws prohibiting perjury and making false statements to Congress during her testimony before committees in both chambers on March 3rd and 4th. "Several of her statements appear to violate criminal statutes that prohibit perjury and knowingly making false statements to Congress," the lawmakers wrote in their request, specifically highlighting Noem's statements regarding the Department of Homeland Security's compliance with court orders related to immigration enforcement.
Follow-up and Context Earlier this month, President Trump dismissed Noem following her testimony and nominated Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to replace her. Mullin requires Senate confirmation and is scheduled to appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for a hearing on Wednesday. As of Monday, neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the Department of Justice had immediately responded to requests for comment. Durbin and Raskin pointed out that Noem repeatedly falsely claimed that the Department of Homeland Security had not violated any court orders. "These statements are false. The Department of Homeland Security repeatedly defied court orders to release individuals detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), holding them for days or even weeks beyond the court-mandated release dates," they wrote. Furthermore, the two lawmakers accused Noem of making false statements regarding the bidding process for a $220 million Department of Homeland Security television advertising campaign, as well as concerning the detention and conditions of US citizens. Members of Congress and committees can submit criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, outlining evidence of alleged crimes, but such referrals do not compel an investigation. "Although, given your politicization of the Department of Justice, we have low expectations that you will pursue this matter, it is important to note that the statute of limitations for perjury and for knowingly and willfully making false statements to Congress is five years," the lawmakers wrote in their request.
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